Here are some Frequently Asked Questions for Nashville Rentals of Margarita Machines or Slush/Smoothie Machines. We also have questions answered for Ice Cream Machine, Sno Cone Machine, Coffee Makers, Tea Dispensers and Cappuccino Machines.
These questions were compiled to make your Rental Experience much easier. We have found that if we give our customers the most generous amount of information, it helps them throw the grooviest party without increasing their stress level. We do what we can to help!
Questions about Frozen Drink, Margarita or Granita Machines? FAQ Machines
BACK TO THE RENTAL PAGE
1.) What is included in a rental from YouNeedADrink.com & Frozen Drink Madness?
We at Frozen Drink Madness & YouNeedADrink.com pride ourselves on excellent customer service. We educate you up front on machine placement, estimating mix volume, machine operation, mixing instructions, recipe advice, flavor choices and everything else that will help make your party a success. We make sure you have easy access to our phone number so that you can call us if you need anything before, during or after the party (we answer the phones until 9 PM when rental machines are out).
In addition to the personal support, our rentals include at no cost to you:
1.) Personalized instructions on machine operation and mix preparation,
2.) Written instructions,
3.) 25 foot extension cord (when needed),
4.) A sturdy rolling cart for you to use to support the machine,
5.) A 5 gallon mixing jug
Back To The Top
2.) Are the frozen drink machines easy to use?
You bet! With any of our packages, we instruct you on how to use
the machine, make a batch of drink mix and give you helpful
hints to keep the frozen drinks flowing. We give you printed
instructions with your invoice and each of our bottles of
mix have clear instructions and recipes. If you select to
have your machine delivered, we mix up your first batch and
show you how to mix up the subsequent batches.
We provide you with a clean 5 gallon jug that makes mixing
the drinks easy and efficient.
Back To The Top
3.) How much do the machines weigh? What are their dimensions?
That depends on the machine you rent. We offer several different machines.
We will determine the best machine for you based on your party
size. We recommend that if you pick up a machine from our
warehouse you must drive an SUV, Pickup or Minivan.
Here is a list of a few of our machines with weights and dimensions:
WILCH/CRATHCO and SANISERV:
Specs:
Height: 26.5(in)
Width: 13 (in)
Depth: 24.5(in)
Approx. Weight: 180 lbs
TAYLOR
Specs:
Height: 27.5(in)
Width: 16 7/16 (in)
Depth: 27 11/16 (in)
Approx. Weight: 185 lbs
2 HEAD VISUAL MACHINES
Specs:
Height: 31.9(in)
Width: 16(in)
Depth: 24.5 (in)
Approx. Weight: 130 lbs
REMEMBER TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE CART
Specs:
Height: 33 1/4(in)
Width: 18(in)
Depth: 25 7/8(in)
Approx. Weight: 35 lbs
Back To The Top
4.) Does YouNeedADrink.com & Frozen Drink MadnessŪ rent machines for kid's parties?
Absolutely! We do kid's parties, church functions and any other function where nonalcoholic beverages are consumed. All of our cocktail mixes taste great with or without liquor. In addition, we have a full line of ChillyFruit products with 20% and 100% fruit juice available that children and adults love.
Back To The Top
5.) Do I need to have someone serving the frozen drinks?
No. The machines are self-serve and easy for you and your guests to use. If you keep the machine full, it will keep the frozen beverages flowing. It is helpful, however, to assign someone to keep the machine refilled, so you can keep your guests happy and your party going!
Back To The Top
6.) How much ice does the machine need?
NONE! Our frozen drink machines will do all the freezing for you. All you need to do is pour in the mix and the machine takes care of the rest.
Back To The Top
7.) What kind of table do I need for the machine?
You don't need a table. We provide you with a sturdy rolling cart to hold the machine. This cart is made with a "well" so it will catch the spills. The cart will also help in moving the machine. You don't have to worry about having a table available, however you might want to have a small table beside the cart to hold the margarita salt rimmer, cups and straws that are also supplied.
Back To The Top
8.) We are having 200 people so we would like to rent 1 machine...is that OK? We are having beer and wine too?
The rule of thumb when renting a frozen drink machine is rent 1 machine for every 100 party guests. We will help advise you in more detail when you make your reservation. You will be surprised that most of those die hard beer and wine drinkers will drink a frozen drink or two. Remember, they can get beer and wine at any party, but how many times do they get a frozen drink? It is a special treat at a party and most of your guests will appreciate one or two or three....
Back To The Top
9.) Do you require a deposit?
We require a valid credit card to reserve a machine along with the name & billing address of the credit card. If you wish to pay for the rental with this card, we will not charge your card until the day of your party unless you cancel without giving us at least 48 hours notice. Remember; we reserve the machines for you and turn away other business so that your party will have frozen drinks. Please cancel with proper notice so we can rent the machines to someone else.
Also keep in mind that you are responsible for payment of the rental regardless of inclimate weather.
Back To The Top
10.) How far in advance should I reserve the machine?
If your party is not on or around a major holiday (Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, July 4th, Memorial Day, Super Bowl weekend, Labor Day, Halloween, Christmas or New Years Eve) you can usually reserve it with 1 week's notice. You will want to reserve the machine earlier for the traditional holiday party dates. But remember, the sooner the better...you don't want to miss out!
Back To The Top
11.) Where is your warehouse?
Our warehouse is located at 2905-C Armory Drive, Nashville, TN 37204.
Directions:
I-65 South to the Armory Drive Exit. This is the exit (southbound) right after I-440. When you exit at Armory Drive, the road will take you back over the highway. Stay on Armory Drive....you will come to a 4 way stop at Sidco Drive. Go straight through this intersection. You will see O-Charley's plant on the right. Keep going straight and it will look like the road dead-ends into the Railroad tracks..but it curves left. You are still on Armory Drive. Go all the way to the end again and it will curve to the left again. On that second left curve, look to the left. You will see a cement ramp going up to a building. That is our Warehouse. The address is 2905-C Armory Drive and the number is above the bay door. We have signage on both sides of the building and a crazy blue man next to the door.
Back To The Top
12.) When do I pick up the machine? (When do you deliver the machine?)
Pick-up packages:
Unless you choose our Extended Party Van
package, all rentals are picked up (or delivered) the day
of the party at a designated time. We will call you the week
of the event to confirm the time of the pick up or delivery.
The Extended Party Van package allows you to pick up the machine
on a Friday (at a designated time) and returned the following
Monday between 10 AM and 12 PM.
Delivery packages:
Machines are delivered the day of the event and picked up the following day at a designated time. If you choose to have the machine for the whole weekend, then the machine will be delivered on Friday at a designated time and picked up on Monday between 12 PM and 1 PM.
Please note that overnight or daily rentals do not mean the rental is for a full 24 hours.
Back To The Top
13.) When do I return the machine? What if I'm late?
Pick-up packages:
Unless you choose our Extended Party Van
package, all rentals are due back the day after the party
at a specified time. If you have a Saturday rental, we will
meet you at the warehouse on Sunday between the hours of 10 AM and 12 PM for the return of the machine. If you choose the
Extended Party Van package all machines must be returned on
Monday between 10 AM and 12 PM.
Delivery packages:
Machines are delivered the day of the event and picked up the following day at a designated time. If you choose to have the machine for the whole weekend, then the machine will be delivered on Friday at a designated time and picked up on Monday between 12 PM and 1 PM.
Please note that "Daily" rentals (per day rate) do not necessarily mean the rental is for a full 24 hours.
LATE RETURNS:
If you have picked up a machine at the warehouse, please be prompt in returning it. Our designated return times are between 10 AM and 12 PM. If you are late, we will charge you $20 per hour late fee (to be charged in 1/4 hour increments).
Please note that "Daily" rentals (per day rate) do not necessarily mean the rental is for a full 24 hours.
Late night Pickups (& Delivery Packages) are available for an additional fee.
Back To The Top
14.) Do I clean the machine before returning it?
If you picked up the machine, you need to drain the remaining product, flush the machine with warm water (draining it out of the spout) and wipe it down before you return it. Don't worry about it being spotless. We take care of the sanitizing and polishing back at the warehouse. This suggestion is more for the protection of you and your vehicle than for us. The machine will be extremely heavy if you still have product in it. They can get messy after a party so you may want to protect your vehicle's interior by at least flushing it and wiping the exterior.
If you had the machine delivered, don't worry about draining it or cleaning it at all! We take care of all of that for you!
Back To The Top
15.) How many bottles of mix will I need for my party?
Here is the Frozen Drink Madness Rule of Thumb for frozen drinks: if you give a guest the choice of beer, wine, soda, or a frozen drink, 8 out of 10 guests will drink more than one frozen drink....especially if there is alcohol involved. The mix comes in 1/2 gallon containers for $20 each with a rental. They are concentrated and dilute with water. The recipes for the drinks call for liquor to be added in different ratios depending on the flavor of mix.
We discuss your individual party needs with you prior to the rental. Many times we might suggest that you buy extra mix for your party. Remember: Any mix that remains unopened (container is still sealed) and was kept in a cool place (not out in the open heat or direct sunlight...this ruins the mix) can be returned for a full refund. It is better to have too much at your party than to run out of mix.
Here are the yield rates for our different flavors:
Cocktail Mixes w/Liquor:
Margaritas- 70 to 75 8-10oz drinks
Daiquiris- 50 to 60 8-10oz drinks
Pina Colada, Orange Mango, Black Cherry, Sour Apple, Peach,
Cherry Limeade- 40 to 50 8-10oz drinks
Cocktail Mixes w/out Liquor:
All flavors - 50 to 55 8-10oz drinks
ChillyFruit Mixes w/out Liquor:
All flavors- 30 to 40 8-10oz drinks
Back To The Top
16.) How much liquor do I need to buy for the frozen drinks? Do you supply the liquor?
No, we don't sell or supply liquor of any kind. If you use liquor with our mixes, you must provide it and accept responsibility for your guests who choose to drink it. We are in the business of selling you nonalcoholic frozen drink flavors and renting (or selling) you machines. The amount of liquor depends on what type of drink you make. If you are serving a great deal of people, call us and we can help you make the most economically accurate liquor estimate (we have some tried and true "tricks of the trade").
Here is a list of suggested recipes/amounts of drinks with liquor:
NEW--Frozen Martinis:
- Orange Mango (O'Mango) Martini 1 liter of vodka
- Black Cherry Martini 1 liter of vodka
- Frozen Cosmopolitan 1 liter of vodka and 1/2 liter of Cointreau
- Mocha Martini 1 liter of vodka and a splash of Bailey's
- Sour Apple 1 liter of vodka
Frozen Margaritas:
- Frozen Lime Margarita and Strawberry Margaritas: 3 liters of tequila
- Frozen Orange Mango Margaritas: 1 - 1.75 liters of tequila
Frozen Drinks & Cocktails with Burbon/Whiskey:
- Frozen Lynchburg or Hard (Whiskey or Bourbon) Lemonade: 1.75 liters of Crown, Seagrams, Makers Mark OR Jack Daniels
Frozen Rum Drinks Vodka Cocktails & Daiquiris:
- Frozen Pina Colada: 1-1.75 liters of white or dark rum
- Frozen Daiquiris (Strawberry, Peach, Banana, Rum Runner, Blue Hawaii & Mai Tai): 1.75 liters of white rum
- Frozen Peach Bellini: 1 liter of white rum, 1/2 liter of Peach Schnapps & 6 bottles of champagne (750 ml sized bottles)
- Frozen Fruity Daiquiris (Orange Mango, Cherry Limeade, Black Cherry, Sour Apple) : 1 to 1.75 liter(s) of white rum, vodka OR coconut rum.
- Frozen Louisiana Hurricane: 1.75 liters of white rum & 1/2 liter of coconut rum.
Back To The Top
17.) Do you make your mix from scratch?
No, but with our mix you make it from scratch! We provide you with a clean 5 gallon mixing jug so that you know exactly what goes in your drinks.... NO guesswork; NO mystery ingredients; NO taste inconsistencies; NO "paint" buckets!
Our mix is manufactured especially for Frozen Drink Madness and ChillyFruit to our highest specifications and requirements. It is FDA approved and comes in completely shelf stable, sanitary sealed bottles. This mix is a concentrate that dilutes with water. You don't have to waste any additional liquor with our mix. You can easily regulate the amount of liquor needed for your first batch and all the subsequent batches.
Back To The Top
18.) Can we use our own mix when renting your machine?
No. We require that you use our mix in our machines. Our mix is specially formulated for our frozen drink machines. Other mixes can contain too much water and not enough sugar which can cause the mix to form ice chunks. Those chunks can get caught in the augers of the machines which can cause severe damage. Too much water can also cause a complete freeze up of the machine.
Back To The Top
19.) How long does the mix take to freeze?
The amount of time depends on several factors: type of machine you select, electrical current available, distance from the electrical outlet, heat, humidity, direct sunlight, amount of liquor in the mix & temperature of the mix. We have all types of machines available for rental. Our fastest machines take 7 minutes to freeze indoors, but they require a full 20 amps of electricity. This may not be appropriate or necessary for your party. You might prefer a 2 barrel machine to offer more variety of flavors for your guests. These machines are great for parties under 50 people, but they do take longer to freeze (about 1 hour indoors). Our single barrel commercial machines are a perfect solution if you only have 15 amp circuits. They hold more than the fastest freezing machines and only take 20 to 30 minutes to freeze indoors.
When you factor in heat, humidity and direct sunlight to the freeze time, you can usually double your freeze time on any machine. You have to remember; these are mini freezers. Have you ever noticed how your deep freeze or refrigerator that you keep in the garage does not perform optimally during the summer? It sweats and the compressor is constantly running trying to do its job with those high summertime ambient temperatures that Nashville is famous for. Well, a frozen drink machine is exactly the same. The more heat, the longer the freeze time. So keep the machine shaded and as cool as possible with those summer parties and you will be enjoying those frozen concoctions all night long.
We will discuss all of these factors with you when you make your reservation. We want you to be aware of everything so that your party will be a success!
Back To The Top
20.) Can I just use my big orange extension cord? I think it is around 100 feet or so!
No. We send you with the proper extension cord when it is needed. The best way to run a frozen drink machine is by plugging it directly into the wall. We understand that in a lot of cases that just isn't possible. We supply you with the use of a 25 foot, 12 gauge extension cord if you need one. Don't try to plug up another extension cord to the one that is supplied. Here is what can happen if you try to use the wrong gauge or too long of a cord:
1.) Your cord will more than likely be destroyed (burned to be more exact),
2.) The compressor most likely won't turn on....so it won't freeze the product,
3.) You could possibly burn up the machine. Rewiring a machine can be expensive.
21.) I plugged in my guitar amp (deep freeze, microwave, popcorn popper....) in the same plug with the machine and my breaker blew....why?
We will skip the detailed instructions on building wiring and electricity. Suffice it to say, you were asking too much of your plug. When you use our machines, you want to have as dedicated a circuit as possible. Most homes and other buildings are wired with either 15 amp or 20 amp circuits. Sometimes there are several plugs strung on one circuit. You don't want to try to run a frozen drink machine that pulls anywhere from 12 amps to 19 amps on the same circuit with your refrigerator, deep freeze, window air conditioner, musical equipment or anything else that pulls a lot of electricity. You especially don't want to plug in anything else into the same outlet with the frozen drink machine. See our troubleshooting guide for more suggestions to help you make your party a success!
Back To The Top
22.) We are having our party at the lake, can we use a generator?
No. We don't allow our machines to be used with a generator. Most generators do not provide enough electricity for a frozen drink machine to run properly. If a machine is exposed to a low voltage situation for a long period of time, it can cause serious damage to the machine. Although some rental companies will tell you that they allow you to use a generator, be careful....if you damage their machine, it could get costly.
Back To The Top
23.) What happens if the machine doesn't freeze?
Although rare, unexpected things can happen. We are available by phone the day & night ('til 8 PM) of your party. Call us, we can walk you through 90% of the problems that a machine might have. See our troubleshooting guide for more suggestions to help you make your party a success!
Back To The Top
24.) Need another reason to rent a frozen drink machine?
Any party is better with a frozen margarita or frozen drink machine! Here are some traditional parties that would be COOL parties with a frozen drink machine: Bachelorette party, bachelor party, birthday party, graduation party, wedding receptions, wedding rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, baby shower, Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, job promotion, retirement party, Happy Anniversary party, cocktail party, family picnic, tailgating, Titan's parties, Super Bowl Parties, football parties, school proms, school dances, school fundraising, fiestas, pool parties, margarita parties, happy job promotion, cocktail party, family picnic, family reunion, tennis tournaments, golf tournaments, charity fundraisers, church fundraising, little league baseball, kid's football, youth soccer leagues. THANK GOD SCHOOL HAS STARTED! PARTY....
Of course the traditional holidays like Mardi Gras parties, Christmas party, Halloween Party, July 4th party, Cinco de Mayo party or Fiesta, Memorial Day party, Labor day parties, Easter parties, Easter egg hunt, Valentine's Party, Super Bowl Party, Hanukkah Parties, Purim Party, Kwanzaa Party, New Year's Eve party, St. Patrick's Day Party......you have the party and we will help you make it COOL!
Back To The Top
